THE LOU THESZ RECORD BOOK

by James C. Melby

© 2015 Arena Publishing Company15767 Kingston Dr.

Fraser, MI 48026 USAwww.wrestlingrevue.com

PRESENTED BY

AND THE WRESTLING REVUE ARCHIVES

®

Page 3 FROM THE DESK OF JAMES C. MELBY

I fully believe that this issue featuring the ring record of Lou Thesz is a crowning achievement. This was a combined effort of the top wrestling historians. First and foremost hats off to J. Mi-

chael Kenyon, who originated this project with a rough draft of the record, which we continued to add more results to from a variety of different means of research.

And extra big special thanks to Haruo Yamaguchi, my dear friend from Japan. Haruo spent the entire summer typing up Lou’s record and doing the constant revisions as we verified data by check-ing through a number of sources such as scrapbooks, programs, old fan club bulletins, etc.

Certainly a big appreciative acknowledgement belongs to Don Luce, the number one wrestling historian in the world, without whom I could never complete any of the ring records that we present in WRESTLING FACTS.

Let’s not forget Fred Hornby, who I consider the other member of the board of directors of pro wrestling research. As always Fred came through with many welcome additions to the record.

Another important person behind the scenes on this project is Lou’s close friend and biographer Koji Miyamoto. Haruo and I were able to verify many facts thanks to Koji.

Last but certainly not least I would like to thank Lou Thesz. For pure wrestling ability Lou was one of the greatest competitors to ever pull on a pair of tights and go to the mat. Thesz is a champion both in and out of the ring, the very epitome of a sports legend, who has devoted his entire life to not only bringing out the best in every grappler that he ever wrestled, but also ensuring the paying customers that they would always be treated to an exciting athletic competitive contest. In this day of over-paid self-centered athletes, Lou’s memory as an active competitor hardly knows any equal.

–Jim Melby, December, 1995

FROM THE DESK OF THE PUBLISHER

One of the most respected wrestling historians ever is the author of this results collection. It was my pleasure to know Jim Melby since the late 1960s when he and Norman Kietzer were producing not only two

national monthly wrestling magazines (‘Wrestling Revue’ and ‘Wrestling Monthly’), but a wrestling newspaper (‘The Wres-tling News’) and various programs for promotions from the East Coast to the West.

In 2002 when the seed was planted to revive Wrestling Revue, the first person I contacted was Jim, who needed abso-lutely no persuasion to become a regular contributor. One thing led to another and eventually we published his fantastic book, ‘Gopherland Grappling’ which covered the history of early Minnesota pro wrestling.

As soon as that book got out the door, Jim was already working on the sequel; but at the same time we had several other ideas and projects in the works. One such project was the re-publication of his excellent Wrestling Facts bulletins. Jim’s Wrestling Facts were meant for the most ardent wrestling collectors and historians. Jim published over 25 editions of Wres-tling Facts. We both agreed that we’d get through the short list of suggested projects before pursuing the re-publication of Wrestling Facts.

It was determined that we would begin the repurposing of Wrestling Facts with the edition he produced about the leg-endary hooker, and six-time World Heavyweight Champion, the unforgettable Lou Thesz.

Unfortunately, Jim Melby passed away suddenly in 2007, leaving several of our projects in limbo. The second Minne-sota book was five chapters in when Mr. Melby passed (these chapters have since been incorporated in a revised version of Gopherland Grappling.)

Finally, with enough time (and energy!) available to do it properly, I’m pleased to present the long-shelved Wrestling Facts edition devoted to Lou Thesz.

I’d like to ask for your assistance if you have any data for the missing information in this compilation, it will be updated in future printings over time.

It is my honor to provide wrestling enthusiasts, collectors and historians, with this refurbished edition of Wrestling Facts – the Lou Thesz Record Book. I only wish Jim was here to enjoy it, we miss him so much.

–Brian Bukantis, February, 2015

Page 6

LOU THESZ RECORD BOOK

Page 7 19344/24 Collinsville BenBailey won6/27 EastSt.Louis BiIlyScharbert draw7/11 EastSt.Louis WaltMcMillan won7/25 EastSt.Louis EdPiantanida won8/9 EastSt.Louis ClaudeWoodson won8/16 EastSt.Louis ArnoldWalker draw9/5 EastSt.Louis EdPlesti draw9/19 EastSt.Louis MarshallCarter won10/24 EastSt.Louis OttoBrexler won11/8 EastSt.Louis WarrenBockwinkel draw11/13 EastSt.Louis WaltMcMillan won11/21 EastSt.Louis MarshallCarter won12/12 EastSt.Louis PhilRohman won

19352/5 St.Louis WarrenBockwinke draw2/19 St.Louis HenryJones won2/27 EastSt.Louis WarrenBockwinkel lost3/14 St.Louis BillyBurke draw3/26 KansasCity YoungGotch lost3/28 EastSt.Louis MilfordPlopper won4/4 St.Louis WarrenBockwinkel wonCOR4/9 KansasCity JimParker draw4/11 EastSt.Louis WarrenBockwinkel won4/16 KansasCity CharlieFischer lost4/17 Nashville OttoKuss draw4/20 Memphis OttoKuss lost4/24 EastSt.Louis BillyBurke wondq5/2 St.Louis TommyMarvin won5/7 Indianapolis PatMurphy wondq5/13 Memphis DorvRoche draw5/14 lndianapolis TommyMarvin lost6/5 Detroit OlafOlson lost6/11 Evansville BobWagner draw6/17 Evansville DanO’Connor won6/25 Evansville TommyMarvin won62/6 EastSt.Louis BuckRoyer draw7/2 Evansville PeteSchuh draw7/12 Detroit PatMurphy won7/16 Evansville DickRaines lost7/18 Columbia WarrenBockwinkel draw7/24 Detroit PeteSchuh won

Page 36 6/14 DesMoines JoeDusek won6/l7 St.Louis BillLongson won6/21 Indianapolis SandorSzabo won6/22 Evansville BillLongson wondq6/24 Houston RuffySilverstein draw6-27 FortWorth JesseJames won6/29 SanAntonio RitoRomero won6/30 St.Louis WladekKowalski won7/11 Peoria WalterPalmer draw7/19 Indianapolis BillLongson wondq7/25 Memphis RayEckert won8/12 Houston BillLongson won8/14 Waterloo Peter(Schuh)Tamiroff won8/15 Peoria SeelieSamara won8/23 Dallas BillLongson won8/24 LosAngeles VicHolbrook won8/25 LongBeach EnriqueTorres draw8/27 Visalia PetePetersen won8/29 Pasadena VicHolbrook won8/30 Wilmington MaskedMarvel won8/31 LosAngeles EnriqueTorres draw9/1 LongBeach SandorSzabo won9/3 Burbank BobbyManagoff draw9/6 ValleyGarden SandorSzabo won9/7 LosAngeles EnriqueTorres draw9/8 LongBeach GorgeousGeorge draw9/10 Burbank GeorgeKoverly won9/15 Toronto FredAtkins won9/19 Memphis BillLongson won9/21 Montreal w/BillyWatsonvs LarryMoquin&YvonRobert won9/22 Ottawa LarryMoquin won9/27 Minneapolis BobWagner won9/28 Montreal w/BillyWatsonvs LarryMoquin&YvonRobert won9/29 Ottawa YvonRobertNC10/3 Hannibal GeorgeKoverly won (otherreporthas10-3IndianapolisBenMorgan) won10/4 Minneapolis BenMorgan won10/5 Winnipeg BobbyBruns won10/7 Atlanta DonMclntyre won10/11 Indianapolis MikeSharpe won10/12 Montreal DonEagle won

Page 37 10/13 Toronto FredAtkins won10/14 St.Joseph BobbyBruns won10/17 Wichita RonnieEtchison won10/18 Peoria EddiePaquette won10/20 KansasCity AlMills won10/31 Memphis GeorgeKoverly won11/4 Houston BillyVarga won11/8 Minneapolis SandorSzabo won11/12 KansasCity ErnieDusek won11/14 Wichita MikeSharpe won11/15 Minneapolis SandorSzabo won11/16 DesMoines MikeSharpe won11/17 KansasCity ErnieDusek won11/18 Houston AntoninoRocca won11/22 Nashville BuddyKnox won11/25 Atlanta HansKaempferwQn11/28 Memphis KarolKrauser won11--28 Thesz named National Wrestling Alliance Champion, replacing injured Orville Brown. Lou already held National Wrestling Association belt.11/30 DesMoines EnriqueTorres draw12/3 Chicago IvanRasputin won12/9 Houston LeRoyMcGuirk won12/12 FortWorth ChiefChewaki won12/14 SanAntonio RitoRomero won12/15 Galveston SonnyMyers won12/16 St.Louis EnriqueTorres won12/21 SanAntonio RitoRomero won12/30 Houston WladekKowalski won

19501/3 Minneapolis EnriqueTorres draw1/4 DesMoines EnriqueTorres won1/5 KansasCity EnriqueTorres won1/6 St.Louis WladekKowalski won1/7 Chicago RudyKay won1/8 Cincinnati JackKennedy won1/9 Tulsa WhiteyWhittler won1/10 Topeka RonnieEtchison won1/14 St.Joseph MikeSharpe won1/16 Winnipeg BronkoNagurski draw1/17 Hamilton FredAtkins draw1/18 Montreal BobbyManagoffNC1/19 Toronto BillyWatson won

Page 86 12/18 St.LouisTV BobbyGraham won

19661/2 Topeka BobGeigel1/3 Wichita TheViking won1/4 KansasCity BoboBrazil won1/5 DesMoines BobGeigel won1/6 KansasCity w/BobEllisvsBobBrown&BobGeigel lost1/7 St. Louis Gene Kiniski lost World Title1/27 KansasCity w/BobEllisvsBobBrown&BobGeigel won2/4 Dothan DonCarson won2/14 Vancouver GeneKiniski lost2/16 Honolulu DicktheBruiser2/24 Nagoya w/JoeScarpavs GiantBaba&MichiakiYoshimura won2/25 Osaka GiantBabaNC2/26 Tsu w/DaleLewis&JoeScarpavs Baba,MichiakiYoshimura&YoshinoSato NC2/27 Shizuoka w/JackBence&DaleLewisvs GiantBaba,Mr.Moto&MichiakiYoshimura lost2/28 Tokyo GiantBaba lost3/18 St.Louis JohnnyPowers won3/21 Memphis GeneKiniski draw5/6 St.Louis w/PatO’Connorvs DicktheBruiser&GeneKiniski won5/9 Orlando TarzanTyler won5/10 Tampa MissouriMauler wondq5/12 Jacksonville w/JoseLothariovs SputnikMonroe&TarzanTyler6/3 St.Louis GeneKiniski draw6/20 FortMyers DonMcClarity6/21 Tampa LesWelch won6/23 Jacksonville GeneKiniski draw6/24 FortLauderdale DonMcClarity won6-25 MiamiBeach w/WahooMcDanielvs Karl&SkullVonStroheim6/26 TampaTV MattJewell(BearcatBrown) won7/6 LosAngeles ElMongol won7/8 LosAngeles TheDestroyerNC7/9 Phoenix BuddyAustin7/19 Raleigh w/AbeJacobsvsRipHawk&SwedeHansonwon7/21 Greensboro w/GeorgeBecker&JohnnyWeavervs AldoBogni,BroncoLubich&HomerO’Dell won

Page 87 7/23 TampaTV PedroAmessa won7-23 WestPalmBeach MikePaidousis won7/25 Orlando DonMcClarity won7/26 Tampa TarzanTyler won7/28 Jacksonville MissouriMauler won7/29 FortLauderdale w/DonCurtisvsKarl&SkullVonStroheim won8/2 Tampa GeneKiniski8/4 Jacksonville w/EddieGrahamvs GeneKiniski&BorisMalenko won8/6 TampaTV AlAlexander won8/13 SanFrancisco FrankShields won8/15 Memphis AlCostello8/17 Nashville RonnieEtchison won8/20 St.Louis CrusherLisowski won8/24 Nashville TojoYamamoto wondq8/25 KansasCity w/PatO’Connorvs JackDonovan&TheViking lost8/30 Raleigh MissouriMauler won9/1 Greensboro GeneKiniski draw9/13 Seattle RoyMcClarity&JerryMiller(handicap) won9/17 Seattle GeneKiniski won9/20 Tampa w/LesWelchvsKarl&SkullVonStroheim won9/22 Jacksonville GeneKiniski lost9/23 Tallahasse w/DickSteinbornvsKarl&SkullVonStroheim9/27 Tampa TheMummy won9/29 Jacksonville JoeWalcott won10/5 LosAngeles FrankMarconi won10/14 LosAngeles BuddyAustin wonWWATitle10/19 SanJose FrankShields won10/20 SantaCruz FrankShields won10/21 Oakland FrankShields won10/28 LosAngeles MarkLewin lostWWATitle11/10 KansasCity JackDonovan won11/11 St.Louis MooseCholak&WaldoVonErich(handicap)lost11/15 KansasCity MikeDiBiase won11/16 Lubbock GeneKiniski11/24 KansasCity LukeGraham won11/25 St.Louis BobbyGraham won11/26 Seattle KillerKowalski won12/8 KansasCity PatO’Connor won12/9 St.Louis WaldoVonErich won12/10 Atlanta GeneKiniski draw12-12 Tulsa w/JackBriscovsTheAssassin&DannyHodge

Page 115

Page 116 Detroit Body Press Program late 1969

Page 122

Dick the Bruiser vs. Lou Thesz(Photo: Wrestling Revue Archives)

Page 129

Lou Thesz and Larry “The Axe” Hennig are given pre-match instructions prior to this 1969 bout in Los Angeles.(Photo: Gary J. Rowell - Wrestling Revue Archives)

The Great Togo, T. Hagiwara and Y. Yoshimura pose with Lou Thesz at the Forum in Los Angeles.(Photo: Gary J. Rowell - Wrestling Revue Archives)

Page 132

Lou puts a headlock on Ken Patera to separate Patera and Harley Race.

Thesz is the the man in the middle for this St. Louis match between Harley Race and Dory Funk Jr.(Photos: Wrestling Revue Archives)

“YOUR SPECIAL REFEREE: LOU THESZ!”Later in his career, Lou Thesz was a “special referee” in many bouts. Who better

to keep a handle on the situation than the six-time world champ?